


Movie Kisses

by LondonSpirit



Category: Schitt's Creek (TV) RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Boys Kissing, Coming In Pants, Complicated Relationships, Confusion, Denial of Feelings, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Resolved Sexual Tension, Rutting, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Stacey is a great friend, Stupidity, they just need to TALK to each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:28:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28777554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LondonSpirit/pseuds/LondonSpirit
Summary: Noah is quickly falling for Dan. Being his on-screen boyfriend is not helping to keep things professional. Dan can keep it together better - or can he?
Relationships: Dan Levy/Noah Reid
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	Movie Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Set during S3/S4. 
> 
> All of this is just fiction and happening only in my head.  
> Beta, as always, my darling [MidgetRosie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midgetrosie)  
> who is the best! Thank you!  
> Any remaining mistakes are mine.

Noah is nervous. He's got his first big scene today, and he hasn't even [properly] met his scene partner yet. 

He knew Daniel through mutual friends; they'd met a few times at parties, but had barely talked. 

A soft chorus of 'good mornings' from behind him has the nervousness ratching up a notch. 

"Morning, Noah." 

And there he is, smiling a crooked smile at Noah. The first thing Noah notices is that his hair is tousled and he's not wearing his glasses, making him look a lot younger. 

"Morning, Daniel," Noah croaks, hating the slight blush he feels in his cheeks. 

“Please, only my dad calls me Daniel,” he says, not unkind. His brown eyes flicker over him, taking in Noah’s costume and his hair and he nods almost imperceptibly. 

It makes Noah bite back a smile; he’s heard that Dan’s basically running the whole show on his own; and that he likes to have the last say when it comes to costumes and appearances. 

Dan’s still watching him, and Noah squirms a bit under his thorough gaze. 

"Nervous?" Dan asks softly, as if it's a secret. 

"Wildly," Noah admits, letting out a heavy breath. Dan grins at him knowingly, and just like that, he's less nervous. 

"Don’t be, I don't usually bite. On a first day," he says, smirking at Noah, dropping the big folder in his arms onto the desk. "Wanna run through the scene while we wait?" 

Noah nods, and Dan instantly transforms into David, who's not too different from the Dan Noah has got to know, but enough to throw him off track for a moment. 

They rehearse a few times, then Dan gets whisked away into makeup and Noah is once again left to his own devices. 

Rizwan wanders in and out the set, smiling at him, the couple that's in their scene as well chatting quietly in a corner. 

"First days are tough, but you'll fit right in," Dan says, suddenly reappearing at Noah's side. He's changed into his costume, his hair is stupidly perfectly styled, and he smells divine. 

Noah can barely hold back from leaning in. 

"You think?" he asks, drawing a bit from Patrick's self confidence. 

Dan hums and Noah feels him nod. They fall silent, watching as lighting rigs the set, and despite Noah still feeling like an outsider, it's very comfortable. Noah relaxes, settling into Patrick's character. 

"Alright people, everyone on their marks." 

Noah exhales deeply, walking to his mark. 

"You got this," he hears Dan say as he goes. 

*

And he does. Patrick is confident and a bit cheeky, and Noah doesn't have a problem letting his own fondness for David shine through. Dan makes it very easy; his shy smiles, his sassy comments, it all helps Noah find Patrick's feet, establishing a good back and forth between the two of them. 

They can wrap the scene after only a few takes; Dan nods approvingly at him before he's off again, folder under his arm, already chatting to their director to set up the new scenes. 

Noah is finished for the day, but he doesn't really want to leave. He lingers, sneaking into the hotel set, watching David and Stevie bicker like an old married couple. He’s trying to gauge why the whole set feels so different than what he's used to. 

The moment Catherine and Eugene walk on set, he knows. They're laughing with Emily and Annie as make-up does a few touch ups between scenes. They're listening carefully when Dan gives a few suggestions to tweak the scene. And when Eugene wanders off set, he passes Noah, smiling gently at him. 

Noah swallows hard as he stops next to him. 

"Hello Noah, finding everything okay?" Eugene asks, grabbing a water from the table behind him. 

Noah can only nod, too shocked that Eugene even knows who he is. 

"Good, good. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything" Eugene says, patting Noah's shoulder before taking a sip of water. Together they watch the rest of the scene, and Eugene chuckles softly at a particularly funny bit. 

There's not the tiniest hint of arrogance or stardom about him; just like Dan he’s just a regular actor -at least on this set-, enjoying it all. Noah’s still a bit starstruck, especially as Catherine comes over as well, eyeing Noah curiously. 

“You must be Noah,” she says, Moira’s lilt still audible in her voice. 

This time he manages a “Yes, nice to meet you,” which gets him a low laugh. 

“Nice to meet you too, dear,” she says, stealing one of Eugene’s snacks. 

Grinning Noah watches them banter, too overwhelmed to notice Dan appearing at his side again. 

“Are these two harassing you, Noah?” he asks, ducking his head as Catherine raises her hand in his direction. 

Noah can’t help, he laughs loudly; everything feels so surreal to him. Dan grins at him, as do Catherine and Eugene. 

“What’s everyone laughing about?” Annie asks as she peaks her head around a corner. 

“I think Noah’s having a bit of a moment here,” Dan says, the grin still very audible in his voice. 

Noah nods, still laughing too much to form words. 

“Ah. Well, Noah, you better get used to it quickly, it’s really crazy around here most of the time,” Annie says with a wink. “You can still run, you know.” Her giggle is adorable. Dan glares at her. 

“Hush, Murphy, don’t scare away my boyfriend, we don’t have time to find a new one,” he calls after her as she vanishes, cackling loudly. 

“Especially one that actually likes you,” Noah hears himself saying. 

Dan raises one of those magnificent eyebrows at him, eyes still twinkling, the soft lines around his eyes full of amusement. 

“And a sassy one of top of that,” he shoots back, mouth curling into a half smile. 

Eugene snorts softly. “I think we’ve got a good one here, son.” 

Dan nods. “Yes, we have.” His dark eyes find Noah’s, and Noah feels a warmth in his stomach that has nothing to do with the easy atmosphere and everything with the way Dan’s smile morphs into something soft and sweet. 

He swallows hard, ducking his head. “I hope so,” he murmurs. 

“I know so,” Dan says quietly. He casts one look at Noah before he turns on his heels, walking away. 

***

“They look at each other, the air is charged, Patrick really wants to kiss David, but he’s not moving, just keeps looking at him. And then David leans in and kisses Patrick, because even after all the teasing and flirting, Patrick's terrified ‘cause he’s never kissed a man before." 

Noah listens to Dan’s rambling voice mail for the fifth time while putting on Patrick’s clothes. 

Dan had been writing and rewriting that scene almost all day. And as much faith as Noah has in his abilities, he was getting more nervous the later it gets. The shoot was scheduled to start in an hour, and Noah had nothing. 

Until half an hour ago when his phone started to blow up with voice-notes from Dan. 

Noah plays the last one again, jotting down the gist of his lines, which Dan has thrown in between his erratic babblings. 

He’s nervous. Not only because he has no proper lines to learn, but also about actually having to kiss Dan. Because he knows exactly how Patrick feels. 

Noah has had quite a few kissing scenes in his line of work, some better, some worse, but they’ve all been with women. Just like Patrick, he’s never kissed a guy, so he can relate to that. He would’ve loved to talk to Dan before shooting their scene, but he’d been busy all day. Then he’d called and said they’d meet at the set, so rehearsing wasn’t even an option. 

Sighing deeply, Noah re-reads what he’s written down and hopes for the best. 

*

When he arrives at the set, brightly lit in the warm night, Dan’s not there yet. TW, their director, waves at him, beckoning him over and handing him a piece of paper. 

“Dan told me to give you this,” he says, already hurrying off to help set up another light. 

Noah glances at the crumpled pages - his lines, more refined than what he’s gathered from Dan’s voicemails. It’s not too different, and he quickly re-reads them a few times. Stuffing them into his pocket, he walks behind the monitors, trying to get a sense of his environment. 

The car’s all set up, softly lit, windows rolled down and the cameras are being rigged at the sides. 

There’s a small commotion and then Dan rushes on set. He’s already in costume, although Ana is trailing behind him, her kit in hand, waiting for him to stop moving long enough so she can fix his hair which is a bit askew, probably from raking his hands through it all day long. 

Noah smiles to himself. 

“Noah, hi, did you get my notes?” Dan calls as he spies Noah, hurrying over to him, eyes huge and expectant. 

Noah nods, pulling up a chair and making him sit. Ana shoots him a grateful smile and immediately starts fussing with Dan’s mane. He quirks a smile at her; Noah can see the effort it takes him to stay still for her. 

“Hello Daniel,” Noah says, enjoying the slight narrowing of Dan’s eyes at the name. He’s made a habit of calling Dan by his full name for some reason. And the way he always looks at him, brow drawing together, laugh lines around his eyes deepening, keeps Noah from stopping it. 

“Yes, I did get your notes, I also got the pages. I don’t know whether they’ll be executed well, but I will try my best.” Noah quips with a grin, which only makes Dan groan. 

“Ugh,I'm so very sorry. It just didn’t feel right, and I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong until- well, when I called you.” Dan’s rambling again, which was a very endearing quality of his. At least for Noah. 

He shrugs. “It’s fine, I’m a professional, I can work with short notice scripts,” he says dryly. It makes Dan huff a laugh. 

“Yeah, super professional to change the words every five seconds,” Dan snorts, wincing as Ana pulls a bit too hard on his hair. She pats his shoulder apologetically. 

Dan exhales deeply and Noah watches as he tries visibly to calm himself down enough to let her do her job. 

Eventually she's finished, and he shoots her a grateful smile before bursting into action again. Noah stays out of his way, as he talks to their director and the camera crew, helping adjust a light until he’s finally happy. 

“Marks, please,” somebody calls and suddenly Noah is nervous again. Channeling that energy into Patrick, he slips into the car, settling into the now familiar mind set of his character. 

Dan gets into the car as well, fussing with his sweater, the seatbelt, his hair; and with shock Noah realizes he’s nervous too. 

He reaches over, resting a hand on Dan’s arm. He can almost feel him vibrating out of his skin. 

“Hey,” he says quietly, waiting until Dan looks up and at him. “You got this.” 

Dan shrugs, already in the process of morphing into David. “Do I?” he asks, and Noah hates the insecurity he can hear beneath the snark. 

“Yes,” he whispers back, locking eyes with him. 

And for a brief moment he forgets where he is. It’s just Dan and him; the buzz around them dies down, and he loses himself in Dan’s dark eyes, looking at him with something he can’t really name. He barely hears the call for “action”, and only Dan’s toneless “Noah?” pulls him out of it. 

He clears his throat, nodding, making a small motion for Dan to go on. 

They run through the lines easily; there’s only a few and they’re brief anyway. 

And then the moment’s there: Noah hesitates, knowing it’ll show in Patrick’s behavior. Dan’s gaze flickers over his face, and Noah can’t help but drop his own to Dan’s mouth. He can see one corner twitch as if he wants to smile, and then he reaches out, laying his hand against Noah’s face. His fingers are warm, but the rings are cool and Noah has to suppress a flinch. He can feel the slight pressure of Dan’s hand, urging him forward, so he leans in. 

Dan’s lips are warm as they press against his, and for a very brief moment Noah freezes. He feels Dan’s stubble against his chin, scratchy and yet not unpleasant. Dan inhales sharply through his nose, pulling him a bit closer. Noah almost forgets the camera, losing himself for a second in Dan’s lips. And when they break apart, it takes him an embarrassingly long moment to remember his lines. 

“Cut, that was perfect,” he hears once Dan exits the car, leaving Noah to stare after him with a soft smile on his lips. He can’t really tell whether that’s still Patrick or him; but he doesn’t care as he watches Dan lean over the monitors to rewatch the scene. He’s nodding, a bright smile forming on his face. He looks up, instantly finding Noah’s eyes. He gives him a dorky thumbs up and Noah laughs. 

“Wanna do another?” Dan mouths at him, and Noah shrugs. He doesn’t really mind. Not anymore. 

“If you think we need another,” he calls through the open window. 

Dan glances at the monitor again, talking to TW, and then nods. 

“One more, just to be safe,” he calls out, walking over to get back into the car. “Okay?” he asks. 

Noah nods “Yeah, sure.” 

They run through the lines again, and this time Noah is better prepared for Dan’s hand on his face. It’s still no less thrilling when he leans in, pressing his mouth against Noah’s. Dan makes a soft noise this time which shoots a pang of something hot through Noah’s body. 

Dan holds him close, doesn’t let go as quickly as the first time. Noah tries to steady himself, the hand not visible on camera searching for a hold. Dan’s left hand wraps around it, holding him in balance. Noah’s fingers settle against his wrist, and with shock he realizes that Dan’s pulse is racing. 

Time feels suspended for another long moment before Dan breaks away. Noah blinks, a bit dazed. Dan’s watching him expectantly, but there’s something inexplicable in the depth of his dark eyes and Noah gets distracted. 

“Cut.” 

Noah sighs, rubbing his left hand over his face. “Sorry, guys.” 

Dan quirks a shaky smile at him, leaning back. “That was my fault,” he calls in direction of the camera. His hand is still in Noah’s. 

TW appears next to the window. “Wanna do it again? We can work with the first one, that was practically perfect.” 

Dan shrugs, glancing at Noah who shrugs as well. “Your call,” he says, not daring to move. 

Dan thinks for a moment; Noah exhales sharply as Dan’s thumb taps against his hand, still in Dan’s. Dan freezes, looking down. Noah can’t read the expression on his face as he carefully untangles their hands. 

Dan doesn’t look at him as he says: “I think we’re good then.” He scrambles out of the car, leaving Noah to stare after him, his lips still tingling. 

***

“Noah.” 

Noah looks up from his book. 

“Daniel.” He grins at the other man who rolls his eyes at him. 

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Dan asks. 

“Sure.” Noah sets down his book, waving towards the chair opposite. 

Dan sits down. He seems nervous and Noah wonders what this is about. Dan stays silent, playing with the phone in his hands. Noah waits, worry creeping in. 

“You’re scaring me here, Dan,” he says once he can’t take the silence anymore. Then he realizes. “Oh, you’re writing me off the show?” he asks calmly, even though his heart stutters in his chest. He knew that had been an option, that he wouldn't work out. 

Dan looks up, face falling and for a brief moment his expression is as open and unguarded as Noah has ever seen. 

“What? NO!” he says, shock clearly audible in his tone. “God, no, you’re perfect. I mean, for Patrick. Perfect as Patrick.” Dan bites his lip and Noah can’t stop staring. Pulling himself together, he leans back, crossing his arms over his chest to keep from reaching out. 

“What is it then?” he asks softly, gripping his own arms hard. 

Dan twists the phone in his hands before he sets it down on the table. 

“There's going to be a few more kisses between David and Patrick next season,” Dan says hesitantly, not quite meeting Noah’s questioning gaze. 

Noah huffs a soft laugh. 

“Okay, yeah sure,” he replies, relief washing over him. He figured as much. 

“Are you okay with that?” Dan asks, glancing up at him through his lashes. He looks so insecure that Noah wants to hug him. 

Instead he leans forward, searching Dan’s eyes. 

“Daniel, would you ask that if they were a straight couple?” 

Dan instantly shakes his head. “No, probably not.” 

Noah nods grimly. 

“Then don’t. You wrote them like any other couple, treat them like that then. If there’s more kisses, there will be more kisses.” 

Dan squirms, doubt and worry radiating off him in waves. 

"Just thought I’d ask-, tell you-, I mean, since you're-" 

"Not defined by labels? You of all people should know that, Daniel." Noah interrupts gently, not missing the surprised look on Dan's face as he meets his eyes for the first time. 

Noah can see a quick succession of emotions on his expressive face before he nods, visibly filing away that information. It makes Noah's traitorous heart jump.

"Didn't know that about  _ you _ , though," Dan mutters, the smile tucked into the corner of his mouth growing. The way he’s looking at Noah, letting his eyes slide over him, makes Noah feel hot all over. He still meets his gaze, smiling a bit shakily at him. 

"Well, now you do,” he says, shrugging awkwardly. 

Dan’s smile grows, making his eyes twinkle and Noah can’t help but smile back. 

“Well,” Dan says after a while, voice a bit rough, “I’ll get the new script to you as soon as possible. I have a lot of ideas for us.” 

Noah grins. “For us, huh?” 

Dan rolls his eyes, the crinkles around his eyes deepening. “For David and Patrick.” 

Noah nods, ignoring the swirling heat in his stomach. “Of course.” 

Dan clears his throat, moving to stand up. “I’ll see you at the wrap party tomorrow?” 

Noah nods. “Yeah, I’ll be there.” 

“Good.” Dan’s face goes impossibly soft as he looks at Noah. “I can’t wait to keep working with you, Noah,” he says quietly, making the heat in Noah’s stomach flare up. 

“Same, Daniel. Very much looking forward to that,” he says just as quietly, like it’s a secret they share. 

Dan nods sharply, shoving his phone in his pocket. “Back to work then.” He smiles at Noah, then turns and walks away, leaving Noah with all sorts of swirling emotions. 

*******

After the season 3 wrap party, everyone parted ways. Noah knew he’d be back for another season, possibly even more, so he knew saying goodbye wasn’t permanent. He exchanged phone numbers with some of the cast and crew, and added their social media handles to his accounts. 

Yet the one person he longed for the most escaped him. All during the wrap party, Dan stayed away from him, barely looked in his direction and when it was time to leave, Naoh only managed a wave across the room. At least Dan had waved back, his dark eyes barely meeting Noah’s. 

The rest of the year went by in flash: he’d bagged a role in a small Canadian film; he also started working on a second album which kept him rather busy. 

Only at night he sometimes was laying awake, scrolling through Dan’s instagram and Twitter, following his travels to Italy and Japan. 

Emily and Annie texted him on a regular basis, and he developed quite a fondness for the both of them. The only texts he got from Dan were on Christmas and New Year’s. Nothing special, and yet it made Noah’s heart stutter as he got the notifications for it. Naturally he replied, fingers shaking only a bit. But he didn’t hear anything back. 

In February the script got delivered, and Noah immersed himself in it. He was delighted to see that he would be sticking around all season long. Reading through it, he was once again amazed at Dan’s talent in writing, especially for their characters. David and Patrick were so special, their love story so complex and loving, yet free of any of the things Noah was used to seeing in on-screen queer relationships. 

In March Dan texted him out of the blue, wanting to know if he was happy with the script. It confused Noah a bit, knowing that usually the writers didn’t care whether their actors were happy with the writing. 

He texted back, that he’d never been happier with anything he’d acted in -which was the truth- and that he couldn’t wait to get back into Patrick’s character. 

Dan’s reply took almost all day, and when it came, it knocked the air out of Noah’s chest. 

‘Would you be willing to re-work this song for the  _ Open Mic _ episode? I know you’re a musician, and I’d rather you do it than somebody else.’ 

The next message was a link to a Tina Turner song and a warning: 

‘And Noah, don’t fuck this up, I love this song more than anything.’ It made Noah laugh nervously. 

‘I’ll try my very best’ he texted back. 

He spent the next few days shut away in his makeshift studio, playing around with arrangements before he eventually decided to keep it as simple as possible. 

After he listened to it more than he cared to admit, he converted it and sent it to Dan before he could chicken out. Worst case scenario, Dan would hate it and use someone else, which wasn’t ideal but Noah knew he could live with that. 

Dan didn’t reply for two days, and Noah was a nervous wreck during that time. He didn’t let his phone out of sight, every ping made him jump and every time it wasn’t Dan his heart sank in his chest. 

A few days before he was due to get back to set, he woke to three voicemails from Dan. They had arrived at 3 in the morning. The first was just silence and Noah frowned as he listened to it, heart in his throat. The second wasn’t any better. The third had arrived about an hour after the first two. 

‘I hate you’ Dan said, sounding rather distressed and Noah’s hands went cold. ‘That was-’ he fell silent again, and Noah could hear him swallow hard. ‘That was just fucking heartbreaking.’ It took Noah a second to comprehend what Dan was saying, and as he did, he exhaled loudly. ‘It’s perfect. I’m not sure how I’ll get through the actual scene when we’ll shoot it, I’m a fucking mess right now.’ He huffed a wet laugh, and suddenly Noah could see him, phone in hand, tears running down his face. 

His heart ached at the thought; pressing the phone closer to his ear, he listened to the rest of the message. 

‘We’re still waiting for permission to actually use the song,’ Dan said, sounding a bit more like himself again, but Noah could still hear the wobbling in his voice. ‘But I’m very confident we’ll get it.’ He fell silent again before he said quietly: ‘Thank you, Noah, that is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever listened to.’ He sniffled a bit, and once again Noah could see him, pulling himself together. ‘I’ll see you soon.’ 

Noah stood in his living room, phone on hand, staring into space for a very long time. 

***

That had been over a week ago. Noah hadn’t heard from him since. Today would be the first day he’ll see him again in almost a year. 

Once again Noah’s nervous as he steps onto set. This time not because he’s new - people are waving at him as he walks towards make-up and he recognizes most of the faces from last year. 

No, this time it’s because he’s finally going to see Dan again. He doesn’t even know why the thought of seeing him again has his nerves all aflutter and his hands sweaty. 

He’s already seen Eugene and Chris, waving at him from across the parking lot. He also ran into Annie and Emily, both cheering when they saw him this morning. Their hugs had been tight, and Noah realized that he’d missed them a lot. 

“Ready to get back in it?” Annie asks, as she follows him towards wardrobe. 

“Of course,” he replies, smiling at her. 

“Lots in store for our new couple,” she grins, bouncing on her heels. 

He nods, not able to say anything, because he’s just spotted Dan coming out of the make-up trailer. He’s already in costume, wearing a light grey animal print sweater which is rather tight, showing off his broad shoulders and clinging to his upper body like a second skin. Combined with the white skinny jeans, hugging those well defined legs, Noah needs to take a few steadying breaths. 

Dan’s not looking up from his phone, and only stops as he runs into Annie who jumps into his path. 

“Hey there, Mr Showrunner, “ she grins, throwing her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. 

“Hey Sis,” Dan laughs, swirling her around which makes her giggle sweetly. “I’ve missed you.” 

“Missed you too, Dan. How are things?” 

Noah stands aside, watching them as they talk over each other, trying to catch up on who knows how long - Noah knows they see each other whenever possible, and yet it seems like they haven’t talked in ages. 

Dan eventually looks up. He freezes as he sees Noah who smiles shakily at him. 

“Hi, Daniel,” he says softly. 

“Hello Noah,” Dan replies, eyes flickering over him before he meets his gaze. 

They look at each other in silence, until Annie theatrically clears her throat. It shakes them out of whatever is happening between them. 

“Dan, can I talk to you for a second?” she says, already pulling him away, casting an apologetic glance in Noah’s direction. 

Noah watches them walk away, before shaking his head and heading towards wardrobe to get his clothes for the day. 

*

The rest of the day is strange. 

Noah’s own awkwardness around Dan bleeds into his performance, which works surprisingly well as it’s David’s and Patrick’s first time seeing each other after their first kiss.

The first scene is horrible, Noah’s trembling with nerves, and Dan keeps forgetting his lines. 

The second one is better, but only because Catherine is in it, and working opposite her always makes everyone do their best. 

The fifth scene is the one where Patrick has to kiss David. 

Dan’s smile is wavering as he looks at Noah; Noah can’t stop staring at his lips. 

Saying his lines, talking about that first kiss hits way too close to home, and Noah ruins at least three different takes because his voice is trembling too much to be used. 

“I think we take five, everyone,” Bruce calls with a sigh, and Noah instantly apologizes to everyone around them. 

“It’s fine, Noah, it’s not your fault,” Dan says with a grimace, leaning against the table, taking a few deep breaths. 

“I’m so sorry, I-” 

“Noah, stop, it’s my fault just as much as it’s yours.” Dan doesn’t really look at him, but his words are sincere. 

“Still sucks,” Noah mutters, more to himself which makes Dan cuckle. 

“Welcome to show business,” he says dryly, nudging Noah’s shoulder with his own. The small touch burns through Noah, leaving him warm and wired. Someone hands him the script pages and he goes over them again. He’s trying to detach his own feelings from Patrick’s, which is easier said than done. 

Dan hasn’t moved away from the table, fingers drumming against the heavy wood. It’s not helping with Noah’s concentration. 

“Can you not-” Noah says, reaching out to lay his hand on Dan’s to halt the infuriating tapping. 

Dan flinches as if his hand is hot, and Noah immediately pulls his own back. 

“Just, don’t,” Noah stammers, feeling his face heating up, “makes me nervous.” 

“ **_I_ ** make you nervous?” Dan asks, raising an eyebrow at him. His tone is teasing and his eyes are twinkling, but Noah sees a soft flush spread over his neck. 

“No, the tapping,” Noah waves a hand around which brushes against Dan’s shoulder. He flinches again, not as much as before, but still obvious enough for Noah to notice. 

“And here I was, thinking my simple presence is unsettling you,” Dan shoots back, quirking one of his trademark half smiles at him. It’s a bit more shaky than usual. 

Noah narrows his eyes at him, equally confused and elated, ignoring the hammering of his heart. 

“Well, it was when I first met you,” he says slowly, trying to find out how far he can go. “But I’m sorry to say, you’re just as human as I am.” 

It makes Dan chuckle softly, and the sound loosens the cold knot in Noah’s chest. 

“And from what I can see,” Noah adds, hesitantly laying his hand on Dan’s arm, watching him grit his teeth, “I seem to make  _ you  _ just as nervous.” 

“Whatever gives you that idea?” Dan’s voice is low but steady. He inhales sharply as Noah skims his fingers over the soft wool of Dan’s sweater. Noah grins and does it again. Dan’s eyebrows draw together as he watches Noah’s fingers tracing the animal print. 

“Och, just a hunch,” Noah says, reluctantly taking his hand away, instantly missing Dan’s warmth. 

Dan’s glaring at him, and yet it makes Noah smile and breathe a bit easier. Whatever is happening to him, it’s happening to Dan as well. There’s something in the depth of his brown eyes, a softness he hadn’t seen before, that makes Noah certain about it. 

“Okay, guys, are we ready to try again?” Bruce asks, approaching them. 

Noad nods, handing the script back. Dan straightens his back, smoothing down the sweater, nodding as well. 

“Great. Let’s start from the top.” 

It’s easier from there on out. 

Noah gets through his lines without breaking; Dan’s presence is somehow rather helpful now than distracting. When Noah wraps his arms around Dan’s waist to pull him a bit closer, he comes easily, his mouth warm and welcoming despite the briefness of their kiss. 

“Cut. Yes, and thank you, that was fantastic!” Bruce calls relieved. 

Noah grins and suddenly Dan is hugging him tightly. It’s only brief but it leaves Noah’s entire body buzzing with nerves. 

“Thank you,” Dan murmurs, squeezing Noah before letting go. The slow smile on his face is dazzling. Before Noah can reply, Dan’s gone already, leaving a slightly confused Noah behind. 

*

They get into a more or less comfortable work routine after that. Noah calls on his own feelings when it comes to scenes with Dan - even though he doesn’t really contemplate those feelings too hard. Whatever they are, they’re helping him settle into Patrick’s new relationship with David, even if they blur the lines between their characters and his and Dan’s work relationship. 

But despite their growing on-screen intimacy, Noah gets the distinct feeling that Dan’s withdrawing from him with every filmed touch, hug and kiss. 

After that first interaction back in the store where David and Patrick settle into their new love, Dan tries to keep their physicality as brief as possible, pulling back as soon as the scene is done, and more often than not, he practically flees the set when they’re finished for the day. 

Noah hates it, but he can relate; he himself has a hard time keeping his touches professional; he finds that he’s letting his hands linger more than they need to and he’s ashamed to admit that he has botched more than one kiss on purpose just so that they can do it all over again. The feeling of Dan’s lips on his, the soft scratch of his stubble against Noah’s chin is addictive, and as much as Noah tries not to, he wants more. 

He understands why Dan is trying to maintain distance; Noah has seen the glances some of the crew have exchanged during certain of their scenes. The chemistry between them is off the charts, the air between them is basically sizzling as soon as they get close to each other. 

But an off-screen romance isn’t an option, although Noah sometimes wonders why the hell not. Then he gets reminded by the way Dan tries to juggle four things at once, being pulled in all sorts of directions, on top of his acting and writing duties. There’s too much at stake for him - he’s not only responsible for the show but for everyone working on it. He can’t jeopardize that for whatever this is between them. Noah knows Dan’s barely sleeping - when he gets home, he’s writing for the next season already before he’s got to be back on set. Some mornings he looks like he hasn’t slept at all, and Lucky tsks and fusses while she’s adding another layer to cover up the dark shadows under Dan’s tired eyes. 

And Noah gets it. As much as it pains him, he totally understands. He reins in his growing feelings, keeps smiling and stays away from Dan as much as filming allows. 

*

Still, it becomes harder and harder each day. He ignores the glances Dan casts his way when he thinks Noah can’t see him. 

Noah has lunch with Karen, because she and Dan barely shoot together so he can avoid having to sit at the same table as Dan. 

Yet he sneaks into every motel set scene, hiding in the dark, watching in awe how Dan brings David to life with an ease that takes his breath away. Before Noah got the job he never watched the show; he remedies that on a long weekend off, if only to skip to David’s scenes, watching him grow and evolve through the seasons. 

*

But the up and down grates on his nerves. There are days when Dan barely looks at him if he doesn’t have to. 

And then there are the days Noah wants to etch into his memory, keep them forever; he replays them at night when he’s in bed, over and over. 

The way Dan looks at him, his brown eyes bright and warm, crinkling around the edges when he laughs at something Noah says. 

Or how his hands feel on Noah’s back, his hips, his shoulders, chasing shivers down his spine. 

Sometimes his fingers brush gently over Noah’s neck, unerringly finding bare skin. 

It’s driving Noah mad, and there are days when he doesn’t know if he can keep doing this. 

*

“Noah, wait, I gotta talk to you.” Noah looks around, helplessly smiling as Stacey bounces over. 

“Enjoying your extended stay, are you, Stace?” he teases as he catches her in a hug. 

“Always. I love watching you fail,” she giggles, squeezing him tightly. 

“Are they even paying you yet, you’re not due for another week.” 

She grins. “No, this is my own private pleasure. Watching two of my best friends pine for each other on and off camera is all I ever wanted.” She rolls her eyes theatrically. 

Noah ducks his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he says, hoping to deflect, but she’s like a shark. 

“Nice try, Reid. Come on, we need to have a word,” she says, pulling him towards his trailer. She waits impatiently for him to unlock the door before pushing him inside. Locking the door, she pins him with her razor sharp gaze. He flops on the small sofa, waving a hand at her to get going. 

“What the fuck, Noah?” Stacey doesn’t even hesitate. “Do you even realize that every damn feeling you have is showing on your face? For everyone to see.” 

“Apparently not for everyone,” he grumbles, knowing very well she won’t let it go if he even tries to. They have known each other for too long. 

“Oh, he knows, trust me. And he’s pining just as much as you, idiot. He just manages to channel it into his character.” She flops next to him on the sofa. “What is happening, Noah? Why-” 

“Because we can’t,” he sighs, waving a hand around, “the show-” 

“Can and will survive that. Many others have before and will after. Sometimes they even thrive on a romantic entanglement between their main cast. As for you two-” She turns towards him, her bright eyes roving over him, and he wants to hide. 

“You’re both idiots. You want each other. Yes, he does want you, too, silly. Don’t tell me you haven’t realized that yet.” 

Noah rubs a hand over his face. “Sometimes. And then there’s days when he barely looks at him, avoids me as much as possible.” 

“Because he’s trying to keep it professional, you dummy. Don’t tell me you’re not trying the same.” 

“Of course. But it’s getting harder every damn day. I have to touch him, kiss him, be his boyfriend, and at the same time NOT let my own feelings take over. How the fuck am I supposed to do that?” 

“Then don’t. You know there’s one simple solution to all this?” She leans back, crossing her arms. 

“Is there?” 

“Yes. Talk to him! Tell him how you feel. Although, I'm sure he knows that already. Everyone with eyes does, really.” 

Noah groans, hiding his face in his hands. Stacey rests her hand on his shoulder. 

“Tell him what you want. Tell him you want  _ him _ . Be persistent, you know him well enough by now to know he loves to hide his feelings behind humor and sarcasm. He’s always had troubles with voicing what he wants. Yes, it’s probably not the easiest right now. This show is his everything, and he wants it to succeed. But I know that there’ll be at least one more season, and the fans already love you. Have you been online lately? They absolutely love David and Patrick. So unless you fuck it up really badly, which i know you won’t, cause you’re Noah fucking Reid, who even managed to make a rather successful musical about fucking  _ hockey _ , so you won’t be going anywhere. Unless you want to. I’m sure Dan can write you out if it gets too much and then you won’t be so torn about your feelings for him.” She takes his face in his hands, searching his eyes. “But I’m certain, if anyone can make this work, it’s you two. I know you, and I know Dan. You just need to fucking  _ talk  _ to each other.” She presses a kiss to his forehead and flops back into the couch, satisfaction radiating from her in waves for having said her piece. 

“You make it all sound so easy,” Noah mutters. 

“Because it is.” 

“But what if-” 

“Noah. Have you seen how he looks at you? How he tries to be as close to you as possible while at the same time trying to stay away from you? He’s as infatuated as you are. He’s also confused. And Worried. I know him. In an ironically bizarre way he’s like David. He thinks he doesn’t deserve you. And at the same time he can’t help it, he wants to be near you. Yes, he might be giving off all sorts of mixed signals. He needs  _ you  _ to help him get there. Talk to him, make it clear that you’re in the same boat here. That you love the show just as much as he does-” 

“I do,” Noah interrupts her, and she smiles at him. 

“I know. You need to tell  _ him _ . Because he doesn’t know that. He maybe hopes it, but Dan Levy  _ always  _ needs affirmation. He needs to  _ hear  _ that something he does is as incredible and as wonderful as he wants it to be. He will  _ always  _ doubt anything he does, be it workwise or in his private life. This is my advice for you, always talk to him.  _ NEVER  _ assume anything. He will expect the worst. Not always but often enough. You need to tell him. Why do you think David is so much like him? Dan’s got only himself to draw from. Playing David is basically therapy for him.” 

Noah nods. It makes sense, and would explain so much. He leans over, pulling Stacey into a tight hug. 

“What would I do without you?” 

“Pine until you die,” she shoots back instantly, returning the hug just as tightly. “I love you, Noah, but sometimes you just need a kick in the ass.” 

He chuckles, brushing a kiss over her temple. “You’re a good friend.” 

She harrumphs, pushing him away. “I’m a fucking great friend, Reid.” 

They laugh and the ever present knot in his chest loosens a little. Then a thought pops into Noah’s head and he leans back to look at her. 

“Did you talk to him about all this?” he asks, equally afraid and hopeful. 

Stacey shakes her head. “No. At least not yet. I will if I need to. But I have faith that you do the right thing and talk to him.” 

There’s a knock on the door. “Noah, we need you back on set.” 

“Coming,” Noah calls back. He heaves a deep sigh and stands, pulling his shirt down. “Thank you, Stacey.” 

She stands as well. “You’re more than welcome. Now go and get your man.” 

Noah huffs a laugh, kisses her cheek and leaves her in the trailer, trying to sort his racing thoughts into something to make exactly that happen. 

***

“Excuse me, I gotta- I need-” Dan says, pushing past the people crammed into the store set. Noah watches him as he gets to the door, pushing it open and vanishing into the night. 

The scene is wrapped, yet people are still mingling, chatting away happily. Karen pats his back as he sets down the guitar, exhaling heavily. 

“Well done, that was lovely,” she says, a total contrast to her character. 

“I had no idea, you’re so good,” Sarah says, smiling her carefree Twyla smile at him. 

“Thank you, thank you,” he says, distracted and concerned by Dan’s hasty exit. 

With everything going on between them -or  _ NOT  _ going on- Noah might have put a little too much of himself into his performance. He’s sure it’ll be fine on tape - after all it’s Patrick basically confessing how much he loves David already- but right now he’s worried about Dan, wonders if it was too much. His David reaction was perfect, just the right amount of fondly annoyed and deeply touched, yet Noah knows what a good actor Dan is. But he saw his face as Bruce yelled ‘cut’: for a brief moment the facade fell and he caught a glimpse of pure Dan behind it. And it was heartbreaking. Noah is almost certain that he saw a tear slip. 

“If you’ll excuse me, ladies, I need some fresh air,” Noah says, smiling apologetically at them as he makes his way towards the door. 

The air outside is warm and he takes a few deep breaths. It’s late and for once he’s thankful that there are no fans waiting around anymore like they normally do these days. He nods towards the crew packing up the lighting, eyes scanning the streets. They’re empty, so Noah heads towards the small trailer park that’s set up in a side street. 

There’s light in Dan’s trailer and Noah sighs in relief. 

Before he can stop himself, he raps his knuckles against the thin door. 

“Dan? You in there?” he asks softly, worry lacing his tone. 

“No, go away,” comes from the inside. It makes him laugh. 

“Please, can you let me in? I need to talk to you.” 

Dan stays silent, and Noah tries the door. It’s not locked so he opens it and peeks inside. 

Dan stares at him from across the room, eyes blazing. 

“Didn’t you hear me?” he hisses. He’s got his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at Noah. 

“Oh, I did,” Noah says, stepping into the trailer, gently closing the door. “I just didn’t listen,” he adds, sensing that he needs to be careful to not push it too far. 

“What do you want?” Dan asks harshly. 

“Just checking on you,” Noah says casually, “you made quite the exit there.” 

“Just needed some fresh air,” Dan says. 

“In your trailer?” 

“On the way here.” 

Noah rolls his eyes fondly. “Weren’t you happy with-” 

Dan shakes his head, and Noah feels his stomach drop. He clears his throat, suddenly not knowing what else to say. 

“Bruce seemed happy,” he says eventually, “although, and correct me if I’m wrong, wasn’t there supposed to be another kiss? I think I’ve read that in the script at some point.” 

Noah knows there was one in his first draft, but the scene has been changed quite a few times and the latest one didn’t include that anymore. He remembers the disappointment he felt when he read it. 

Dan flinches at the mention of the kiss, and Noah narrows his eyes at him. Dan’s face is scrunched up, his hands are curled into fists and he’s biting his lip. He’s highly stressed, oozing anxiety all over the place and Noah doesn’t really know why. 

“Dan?” he asks gently, worry seeping into his tone and he steps closer. 

“Don’t. Just leave it be,” Dan grits out, turning away from Noah who sighs heavily, not bothering to hide it. 

“Come on, Dan,” he says wearily. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” Dan barks, not looking at Noah, and suddenly Noah can’t take it any longer. 

“Geez, Daniel, just fucking talk to me,” he says forcefully, frustration about their entire situation making him lose his calm. 

Dan whirls around, his mouth a tight sharp line, his eyes burning like coals. 

“You wanna talk? Fine!” He’s yelling now. “How about we talk about the fact that I can’t stay professional around you? That I can’t stop thinking about you even though you’re right there?” He’s talking himself into a rage, voice cutting through the air like knives. “And that I have to cut kisses from the script because I can’t fucking control myself. And then you go and do this-” He waves a hand around, indicating the scene they just shot. “Do you really expect me to stay calm when you look at me like that?  _ Sing  _ at me like that?” His voice trails off. “Wanna talk about that? How I’m a fucking failure?” He rubs his face angrily, but Noah can see the tear escaping his eye. 

Noah's heart aches at the pain he can see in his face. Tentatively he steps closer. 

“You’re not a failure,” he says softly, carefully laying a hand on Dan’s shoulder. He feels him shudder at the touch, but he doesn’t pull away. “Look around. You did this, you made this all happen, Daniel. And you did it so beautifully.” 

Dan doesn’t react so Noah squeezes his shoulder and smirks weakly. “And you hired me.” 

That gets him a snort and a watery chuckle. 

“Yeah, but I can’t even tell you that I like you,” Dan murmurs through a sniffle. 

Noah’s heart stutters at those words. Ducking his head he peers into Dan’s face, trying to read his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he steps into Dan’s personal space. 

"Show me then" he whispers hoarsely. 

Dan’s eyes are huge as he glances up, shock mixing into the emotions so clearly visible on his face. 

"What? No no, I can't." Dan flails backwards, but Noah follows, cornering Dan against the wall. 

"Yes, you can. Show me. Come on, I’m right here," Noah repeats softly, slowly running a hand over Dan’s arm; he can feel him tremble heavily. 

Their eyes meet, and Noah’s breath catches in his throat as he sees the raw longing in every small line of Dan’s face. Dan growls, a sound that has Noah biting back a groan. And then Dan’s hands are on the lapels of his shirt, pulling him hard against his chest. 

Dan kisses with such abandon, that for a faint moment Noah wonders how he was able to hold back on camera. But then Dan’s tongue sweeps over his lower lip, making him forget everything around him. 

Dan’s warm and solid, his arms are tightly wrapped around his shoulders, and he’s whining softly against Noah’s lips. He’s apparently determined to make up for all the lost time - he kisses with such passion and determination that Noah has to break the kiss to gasp for air. 

“Fuck, sorry, I’m so sorry,” Dan mutters immediately, letting go of Noah. He would’ve backed away, but he’s still got his back to the wall. “I got carrie-”

“Oh hell no,” Noah interrupts him, “come back here.” He slides his hands over Dan’s shoulders, curling his fingers around his neck and pulls him back into another breathtaking kiss. 

Dan’s body is still for a very long moment. But then he basically melts against Noah, letting go of all his restraint and Noah smiles into the kiss. He’s licking deep into his mouth, moaning as his taste explodes on his tongue. Dan’s scent is surrounding him, and Noah is starting to feel lightheaded. 

When they break apart, they’re both panting. Noah leans back to look at Dan, whose eyes are still closed, and there's a tiny smile dancing over his reddened lips. 

"Wow," Noah whispers, caressing Dan's glowing cheek. 

Dan's lids flutter and when he opens his eyes, the expression in them is dazed and wondrous. Noah moans, sealing his lips over Dan's again, almost able to taste his happiness. 

They kiss and kiss until Noah is aching to be touched. Aching  **_to_ ** touch. He slips a hand under Dan's sweater, not surprised to find more fabric. Tugging it gently out of the way, he sighs as his fingertips finally find soft skin.

Dan hisses at the touch, but doesn't pull away. Noah splays his hand over Dan's side, feeling his shuddering breaths, oddly proud that he's the cause of that. Carefully he lets his other hand follow, pushing them both over Dan's lower back, pulling him flush against his body. Dan gasps, angling his hips away from Noah. It makes him smile into their kiss. 

Holding him tightly he gently nudges their groins together, letting Dan feel how affected he is. Dan groans lowly, the vibrations shaking them both to the core, and he finally presses against Noah. 

Dan's hard, harder than Noah could have hoped for, and he cant help the small thrust against it with his own. Dan bites his lip, a full on body shudder shaking him and he clutches hard at Noah's shoulders. 

"Fuck," he mutters, sounding just as wrecked as Noah feels. 

"Is that an option?" Noah teases shakily, gasping as Dan shoves his muscular thigh between Noah’s legs. 

"Not today," Dan murmurs, sounding as sorry as Noah feels. 

"Another time then?" he replies quietly, the hope so audible that Dan pulls back to look at him. His eyes are stormy and dark and Noah wants to drown in them. 

"If you want?!" It sounds like a question and Noah can't help the moan that breaks free. 

"If I want, he asks," he grumbles, kissing Dan again just to make a point. "Daniel, I've been pining after you for months now, of course I want to." 

Instead of an answer Dan claims his mouth in a kiss so filthy, Noah's knees buckle under the promises he can taste on Dan's tongue. He whines, rutting against Dan's leg, the feeling of it shooting sparks along his spine. The noises Dan makes are glorious, spurring Noah on. He loses himself in Dan's needy kisses, their scrambling hands, clawing at too much fabric. 

Dan tugs too hard on Noah's shirt and the buttons go flying. They freeze before bursting into laughter. 

"Wardrobe will kill me," Noah snickers. 

Dan only nods. "They will, that shirt was D&G." 

"Daniel! Not helping," Noah grunts, trying to pull Dan's layers over his head. They're still giggling, but eventually manage to strip each other down to their underwear. 

Noah walks them back towards the small couch, unceremoniously shoving Dan down, enjoying his small squeak as his naked skin touches the cool leather. 

"God, look at you," Noah says, eyes raking over Dan's body, "you're fucking glorious." He drinks in the sight, the dark hair dusting his chest and his stomach, the subtle play of muscles beneath softly tanned skin, the deep blush covering his neck and shoulders. 

"Stop staring and come down here," Dan complains, and Noah wants to eradicate the anxiety in his tone. 

"In a second," he says, kneeling next to him to run his hands over Dan's skin. It is warm, and wherever Noah's fingers touch, goosebumps appear. Dan squirms, but doesn't say anything, his dark eyes on Noah's face, watching him. 

"You really like it?" he asks incredulously as Noah slides a finger through the coarse hair on his chest. 

"Fuck yeah," Noah murmurs, leaning down to press kisses over his heart. "How could I not, you're the most gorgeous creature. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful." 

Dan growls and hauls Noah on top of him, hooking his leg over Noah’s, holding him in place. Noah's eyes roll back at the feeling of Dan's erection against his own. They’re both too far gone for anything coordinated, they just keep rutting against each other. Dan’s fingers are digging deep into Noah’s shoulders, and the broken sounds he makes are driving Noah mad with burning desire. 

Murmuring praise against Dan’s neck, he holds on as his thrusts become erratic. The fabric of his boxers is wet, clinging to his erection. It shouldn’t be sexy, and yet the feeling of Dan’s dick twitching against his own is hot as hell. 

Dan’s muttering under his breath, words Noah can’t understand. It’s not important though; Dan’s body is speaking its own language and Noah’s is answering in kind. He shifts a bit so he can slip his hands into Dan’s hair - something he’s been wanting to do for ages now. 

Dan lets out a husky whine, arching into Noah, his hands finding Noah’s ass, pulling him as close as possible. Noah does it again, and Dan’s head falls back, exposing his neck. 

With a growl Noah dives down, licking and biting at Dan’s pulsepoint, a white-hot jolt shooting through his body as Dan cries out, his hips stuttering. 

Noah pulls back to see Dan’s scrunched up face as he comes, mouth falling open, nails biting into the flesh of Noah’s ass. He chokes down a whine, and then Dan’s heavy lids flutter open; the burning fire in them is enough to unravel Noah as well. He thrusts against Dan’s heat a couple more times and then falls apart so completely he barely hears Dan murmuring endearments into his hair. 

He collapses onto Dan’s sweaty chest, the only thing overly sharp the combined scent of sex and Dan’s cologne. Very slowly he comes back to his senses. Dan’s arms are around his back, holding him close, his breathing still heavy. Noah presses a kiss over Dan’s rapidly hammering heart, smiling as he shudders beneath his lips. 

They lie in silence for a long time, wrapped around each other, and Noah doesn’t know where his body ends and Dan’s begins. Faint and far away, the sounds from set filter through the thin walls of Dan’s trailer. Eventually Dan stirs, and Noah can almost hear him scrunch up his face. He chuckles softly. 

“Glad you find this funny,” Dan grumbles, but Noah can hear the smile in his voice. 

“Hilarious,” he replies with a smirk, carefully detangling himself to sit up. He grimaces at the mess between them, managing to get to his feet, swaying a little bit. He walks to the tiny bathroom, wetting a towel and quickly cleans himself up. Dampening another towel he walks back, handing it to Dan who hasn’t moved. His face is red, and he’s chewing on his lip, dark eyes darting everywhere but Noah’s face. 

Knowing he needs a moment, Noah takes off his ruined boxers and puts his jeans back on. He picks up his shirt, grinning as he sees the ripped off buttons. Holding it up, he turns towards Dan who’s struggling to sit up. 

“That was really D&G?” he asks, even though he can see the label. 

It makes Dan chuckle, and finally his brown eyes find Noah’s. 

“Yeah, only the best for Patrick,” he nods, standing up, kicking his own boxers into a corner. Noah can’t help the appreciative sigh as his eyes wander over Dan’s naked body again and again. 

“You are fucking beautiful,” he blurts out, not able to keep the words inside. 

Dan makes a noise that’s half laugh, half sob, and as Noah looks up, Dan’s eyes are shining dangerously. 

“Hey,” Noah says, stepping closer to rest his hands on Dan’s flaming cheeks, “you okay?” 

Dan nods and shrugs at the same time, fidgeting with the towel still in his hands. 

Not knowing what else to do, Noah leans in and kisses him. Soft and gentle, nothing like the wild kisses before. This is sweet and hesitant, and for one long moment Dan isn’t reacting. When he does, it’s just as slowly and timidly. 

When they part, Dan rests his forehead against Noah’s, noses rubbing together in a tender notion. 

“So,” Noah says quietly, not knowing how to start the conversation they need to have. 

Dan sighs deeply, pulling back to meet Noah’s gaze. 

“So.” 

“Now what?” Noah asks, caressing Dan’s cheek, enjoying the slight scratch of his stubble against his oversensitive palm. 

“I have no fucking clue,” Dan says, shrugging awkwardly. Noah can see how his mind starts racing again, going through all sorts of scenarios. And he hates that he can almost see when he comes to his conclusion. Pressing a hard kiss against his slightly bruised lips, he smiles. 

“Let me take you out for dinner. A proper date.” Holding his breath, he waits for Dan to process what he’s implying. Dan’s brows draw together. 

“A… date?” he asks, the frown on his forehead so deep, Noah reaches out without thinking to smooth it away. 

“Yes, a date. You and me. Somewhere romantic. I really like you, Daniel.”    
“I like you too, Noah,” Dan says quietly. 

“Good.” 

There’s a small and very beautiful smile blooming on Dan’s face, something hopeful showing in his eyes, and Noah is certain this is just the start. 

“Good,” he repeats, kissing Dan again before letting go. He reaches for his jeans and his sweater, handing them to Dan. 

“Get dressed, I’m going to woo you, Mr Levy.” It makes Dan laugh, and the sound of that unfurls something warm and pleasant in Noah’s stomach. 

Dan gets dressed, running a hand through his hair to fix it - which is futile, Noah’s hands made a total mess out of it. He gives up, shrugs and turns to Noah, who’s leaning against the doorframe, watching him. 

“Ready to be woo’d, Mr Reid,” Dan smiles cheekily. 

Noah holds out his hand and Dan’s fingers slot just perfectly into his, and Noah knows they’ll be okay. 


End file.
